Teddy Lupin and the Order of the Phoenix
by mcfuz
Summary: When Teddy Lupin asks the Room of Requirement for a place to hide, he definitely doesn't expect it to send him back in time. But, of course, it does; to the year 1995, and now he's landed himself smack-bang in the middle of a war. Just how is Teddy going to keep his mouth shut about the future, as well as finding a way back home before something goes terribly wrong? ON HIATUS.
1. Prologue

**When Teddy Lupin asks the Room of Requirement for a place to hide, he definitely doesn't expect it to send him back in time. But, of course, it does; to the year 1995, to be exact. Teddy finds that the past is a whole lot more dangerous than the future, and it doesn't help that, on top of everything else, he's falling in love with his future-godfather's future-wife, his parents are nothing like he expected, and he's landed himself smack-bang in the middle of a war. Just how is Teddy going to keep his mouth shut about the future, as well as finding a way back home before something (or everything) goes terribly wrong?**

* * *

Teddy woke with a killer headache. Of course, it was probably the side effect of that Firewhiskey he and Mitchell had drunk last night, but still - he didn't deserve this. Not on the first day of term.

Rolling out of bed and onto the cold flagstones below, Teddy groaned, dragging himself upright. He splashed some water on his face from the jug beside his bed, then stumped into the bathroom, annoyed to see that Mitchell and the other guys were still sleeping peacefully. What he wouldn't give to be in their shoes, but Teddy had always been an early riser. A little hangover couldn't change that.

Teddy squinted at the clock on the bathroom wall. Five forty-three. Damn it.

Stripping off his pyjamas, Teddy blindly turned on the hot water in the shower and stepped underneath the head, shivering slightly as the temperature adjusted. He ran his hands through his hair, mussing it up nicely then smoothing it back down again. He was not looking forward to this morning. According to his timetable, he had double Arithmancy and double Herbology, both of which he hated. Not that the teachers were terrible, but Teddy couldn't like or succeed in those subjects if his life depended on it.

Sighing, Teddy shut off the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it firmly around his waist before heading back into the dorm - he'd forgotten to bring a change of clothes in to the bathroom with him. He was always doing that. Thankfully, his roommates were all still asleep, and Teddy was able to grab a fresh set of robes without any complications.

A few minutes later, barely dressed with his tie knotted on an angle and sleep still clouding his eyes, Teddy stumbled out the dorm and down the cosy, candlelit passageway that led to the Hufflepuff common room. Once there, he took the time to stare proudly at the statues the lined the back wall. There were about a dozen of them, each life-size and bearing a plaque stating the person they depicted. Teddy's gaze was always drawn to the model on the far left, however, and today he wandered over slowly, drinking in the sight of the marble woman standing before him, winking rather cheekily. _Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin_ the inscription read, and Teddy's heart gave a small flip. The feeling of his mother standing before him, albeit a lifeless piece of stone, always managed to startle and comfort him at the same time.

After a long moment of staring into her face, Teddy screwed up his nose and felt his brow shrinking, his eyes widening, his chin tapering. Glancing into the mirror above the fireplace, Teddy looked at himself and saw the spitting image of his mum. Swallowing heavily, Teddy shook away the transformation and reverted back to his normal appearance. He turned and made his way towards the tunnel-like exit of the room, where he hesitated, screwed up his nose again and felt as his hair turned the brightest shade of bubblegum pink. Smiling slightly, Teddy crawled along the passage, emerged from the other side and headed toward the Great Hall.

Once inside, Teddy wasn't surprised to find himself alone. Even the teachers were all still asleep. Rubbing his temples, trying to soothe his headache, Teddy sat down at the Hufflepuff table and grabbed a small slice of toast from the piled platter before him. He wondered absently if he should even eat when he was feeling as ill as this, and a bite later told him that he _definitely_ shouldn't. He pushed away his plate and stared up at the enchanted ceiling, which today was imitating the bright, cloudless blue of a summer sky. The cheering sight didn't do anything for Teddy's headache, however; in fact, the brightness of the place seemed to make it worse. Groaning, Teddy stood and wandered away into the Entrance Hall, thinking about how to kill time without getting into major trouble from McGonagall. A small thought in the back of his mind told him to head up to the Owlery, and his feet seemed to agree, almost moving of their own accord. Teddy didn't really pay any attention to where he was going, and so it was with unfocused eyes and a confused smile that he noticed he wasn't alone any more.

"Well, well. _Lupin_. Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we?"

Teddy's hands balled into fists as he resisted the urge to punch the Slytherin. "Your observational skills are as astute as ever, Flint. But, you know, I'm afraid I'm going to have to correct you. It's actually morning; that's what we call it when the sun rises, and so forth."

Flint smirked, unperturbed. "My mistake, then. You're just like your father."

At this Teddy swallowed. What did he mean? "What do _you_ know about my dad?"

"I know he was a filthy mudblood and a filthy half-breed, and I wouldn't be surprised if you are, too."

Teddy took a deep breath and released it. _Calm down_, he told himself. _Don't rise._ "For your information, Flint, my dad was a _half_-blood, not a Muggleborn. And if I were a werewolf, too, I'd have ripped your throat out by now, a million times over."

At this Flint laughed; a high-pitched squeal that made Teddy's headache spike to a whole new level of pain. "I'd like to see you try, Lupin. Just like your dad did."

A cold feeling washed over Teddy. "Pardon?"

Flint took his time in answering, flexing his hands and examining his nails. "Just like your dad tried, Lupin. Just like he tried to protect your mother. But he failed…obviously."

"I- you're lying." Some other being had taken over Teddy's mind, something scarlet and fierce and awash with white-hot anger. He couldn't think straight. Surely, _surely _Flint wouldn't sink as low as to- as to-

"It's a pity they didn't kill you, too. Would've mopped up a whole lot of half-breed filth infesting Hogwarts…but I suppose there's no use dwelling on the past. You parents are dead, you know, rotting in their graves as we spea-" Teddy's fist rammed into the side of Flint's head, and suddenly all he could see was blood. It splattered into his eyes, his nose, his mouth, and for a long, terrifying minute he couldn't breathe. Teddy fell to his knees, retching, wiping his eyes furiously and praying that he didn't just lose it, didn't just sock Flint with more force than he'd ever hit anything in his life-

But when Teddy looked to the right, what he saw sickened him. Flint lay on a skewed angle, the side of his head and his hair matted with blood. He wasn't moving.

_Oh God._ Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. Teddy stumbled to his feet, jerking away from the scene of the crime- because it was a crime, for surely Flint was dead, or dying, just because he, Teddy, had lost his temper over some stupid childish insult-

Teddy heard footsteps approaching. Heart in his mouth, he turned and sprinted away, up the stairs, up and up and up until he reached the seventh floor. Without really paying attention, Teddy turned left and found himself staring at a tapestry depicting trolls learning ballet-

Teddy paused, as if he had been spinning and spinning up until this moment and had suddenly ground to a halt. Trolls doing the ballet…where had he heard that before?

And then it hit him.

The Room of Requirement! Teddy spun around to the blank stretch of wall opposite and swallowed. _I need a place to hide_, he thought, shutting his eyes tight and trying to block out the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer and closer. _I wish I had never punched Flint, I wish I knew more about my parents, I wish I could go back…_

A door appeared in the wall. Without hesitation, Teddy flung it open and plunged himself inside, expecting a large expanse of a room lined with mirrors and bookshelves, just like Harry had told him-

Except this was different. Namely because the room was a tiny, cramped space, as dark as night, and-

And there was no floor. With a cry, Teddy felt himself slip and fall, tumbling down and down into darkness heavier than he had ever thought possible. His headache was pounding, drumming inside his entire being, forcing Teddy to let loose a terrified scream that ripped through the air for a single moment, before he hit his head on something heavy and sharp and the darkness became infinite around him.

* * *

**Author's Note: I think every fanfiction author has to do a time travel story at one point or another. So, here's my shot at it. I hope you like Teddy here. Hopefully the next chapter will be up ASAP, because I already have plenty of ideas - let's just say the past is going to be a whole lot more tricky than the present for our darling Teds. Please review! xoxo **

**Disclaimer: I am not British. I am not blonde. Hence, I cannot ever own Harry Potter, no matter how much I wish it to be mine. **


	2. The Wrong Harry

Teddy opened his eyes to a sky of muddy brown. It took him a few moments of blinking confusion to realise that he was, in fact, staring up at the walls of a very small, very cramped broom cupboard. He wondered how he got here - the pins and needles in his limbs suggested he'd been unconscious for quite a while - and _why_ he was in here in the first place.

And then it all came rushing back to him, along with the last remnants of his headache, painful enough to make him spit out a few choice swear words.

_Flint. Footsteps. The Room of Requirement. And then- darkness._

Teddy frowned, struggling into a seated position and feeling around for a way out of the wardrobe. His fingers found a latch in one of the walls, and Teddy threw himself against it with all his might-

Which, as it turned out, was rather too_ much _might, after all. The door flew open and he toppled headfirst onto a cold, flagstone floor opposite a tapestry that looked all too familiar…

Teddy breathed with relief, sitting up and stretching. There was the weaving of Barnabas the Barmy teaching trolls the ballet- or trying to, anyway. Obviously the sensation of falling in the Room of Requirement had been…what? An illusion? A simple magic trick? Whatever it was, Teddy was glad there'd been no lasting harm done - apart from the sizeable welt on his forehead, of course, which he promptly morphed away - though he was filled with trepidation about what the next few hours might bring. He'd hurt Flint badly, and while Teddy was convinced now that the Slytherin _wasn't_ dead or dying - really, he'd been quite delirious when he'd come to that conclusion - he knew the situation wouldn't be without consequences. He sighed, scratching his head and standing, then turning on his heel and began heading towards McGonagall's office, ready to hand himself in-

When all at once he strode headlong into a trio of students and sent all four of them crashing to the ground.

_Just my bloody luck_, Teddy thought to himself, trying not to feel the throbbing of his headache. "Sorry," he mumbled, taking deep, calming breaths and looking around at the students he'd knocked down…whom he didn't recognise at all.

There was a girl with bushy hair and an armful of books, and two guys flanking her, one gangly and ginger-haired, the other hunched and bespectacled-

Teddy froze with growing horror. _No_, he thought blindly, scrambling to his feet and backing up against the wall. _No, no, no, this can't be happening, this isn't fair, I'm not- I'm not-_

The girl sniffed huffily and stood too, brushing down her robes. "That's all right, um- er, who are you, anyway?" She peered at him curiously, and Teddy resisted the urge to run away screaming. At this point, the two boys had stood up also, and while the ginger one was looking vaguely apologetic, his companion seemed downright murderous. Teddy swallowed.

"Oh, um, me?" He paused. "Teddy Lu-" _Wait_, he thought furiously. _Lupin can't be a common name at all…they'd figure something was up for sure! _Teddy was hesitant to share his true identity, not only because of this, but because of something that had been told to him long ago: _time travel is a messy business. Put one foot wrong and you could throw the entire future into chaos._ Teddy swallowed. "Lewis," he amended after an awkward moment's pause. "Teddy Lewis."

The surly boy curled his lip; obviously, he didn't buy a word of it. His friends, however, seemed to have no such qualms; on the contrary, the girl smiled toothily. "I'm Hermione, that's Ron, and this is Harry. Are you- erm, are you lost?"

_Oh God_, Teddy thought. _I was right._ Here he was, staring right at his future godfather and the latter's two best friends- who ended up getting married. Teddy wondered absently whether they were dating yet. "Ah, no, I'm not- that is, yes, I am." He gave himself a mental slap: now he sounded thicker than ever.

"Right," Hermione's voice wavered, as if she wasn't sure whether Teddy was pulling her leg or not. "I guess you'd be a transfer, then?"

"What? Oh- yeah."

"Then you'd be wanting Dumbledore's office? Assuming you just arrived, that is…"

Teddy seized upon her suggestion gratefully. "Yes! I mean, yeah, I do, I have- yeah."

A new voice broke the pregnant silence. "If you're new, then why are you wearing that?" Teddy registered on some level Harry's disdain, however, it didn't quite compute with him that the moody teenager standing before him would ever grow into the lovable, fatherly Head Auror Teddy knew so well. It took him a moment to realise that this Harry - the young Harry - was pointing at his chest. Confused, Teddy looked down, groaning inaudibly as he spotted his askew Hufflepuff tie. Trust Harry Potter to notice the details.

"Um…" Teddy fished about for an explanation. "It's- er, it's my dad's. Yeah. He was in Hufflepuff, see, when he was here- and I thought I'd wear the tie, because, you know, I didn't want to look, you know, out of place, or anything like that…" _Shut up, Teddy,_ he told himself. _You're rambling._

Harry raised an incredulous eyebrow but said nothing. His temper seemed to be bubbling away, and now he eyed Teddy more with amusement than annoyance. "Right," Harry grinned. "Sure. Your dad's." He eyed Teddy for a long pause in which Ron and Hermione stared between the two with total confusion. "Dumbledore's office?" Harry prompted, and Teddy blushed.

"Yeah, right," he grumbled, heading in the direction he knew McGonagall's - sorry, Dumbledore's, now, wasn't it? - office was. He hadn't gone two steps before a cough behind him stopped Teddy in his tracks.

It was Ron. He looked confused. "Um, how do you know where Dumbledore's office is?" At Teddy's blank stare, he elaborated. "Well, aren't you new? I thought you were, you know, lost…"

Teddy cursed himself. _Stupid, stupid mistake!_ "Right," he said brightly, struggling to keep the charade up. "Yeah. I don't know where I'm going…it's just that you lot were, um, looking in this direction when you mentioned what's-his-face's name-"

"Dumbledore's," Hermione provided helpfully.

"-yeah, that. So I just assumed it was this way…" Teddy trailed off, looking hopeful. Hermione and Ron seemed to believe him, but Harry was still eyeing him with dubious delight.

"Well," the latter said, ruffling his hair then smoothing it back down again, "The office is just down to the right on the third floor, behind a big ol' gargoyle. You'll need the password, of course- which I assume you already have," Harry smiled, looking at Teddy with a glint in his eyes that said _I know you don't have the password at all_. "So, that's it. Anything else, or would you mind moving out of the way to let us through?"

Teddy blinked and finally took in his surroundings. He was indeed blocking Harry - the _wrong_ Harry, his mind screamed - Ron and Hermione from continuing along the corridor. With an apologetic half-smile that Teddy hoped wasn't too frightened, he stepped aside, letting the trio pass. As they walked out of sight, he heard the beginnings of a rather heated discussion:

"Anyway, what's up, Harry?" Teddy heard Hermione ask. "You look really angry about something."

There was a moment's silence, then Ron's voice: "Seamus reckons Harry's lying about You-Know-Who."

"Yes, Lavender thinks so too," Hermione responded glumly, voice getting quieter and quieter as she and her friends rounded the corner.

Harry responded immediately, his voice fiercer and more defensive than Teddy had ever heard in his life. "Been having a nice little chat with her about…" The conversation travelled out of range, and Teddy leaned back against the wall, confused. A nice little chat about what? And why would anyone think Harry was lying about You-Know-Who?

Resolved more than ever to get back home - _back _home in the _future_, Teddy thought confusedly - Teddy turned and, though he knew a shortcut, followed Harry's directions exactly, towards the third floor and what he now knew as Dumbledore's office.

* * *

The gargoyle wouldn't budge. Teddy kicked at it fruitlessly, yelled some words that made hovering first years run away blushing, but nothing he did made any difference. The statue seemed to stare at him, locking his eyes in an insolent gaze as if saying: _go on. I dare you._

"I just-" Teddy yelled, along with a vicious punch "want to-" another kick "speak with-" a pointless shove into the gargoyle's ugly face "Dumbledore!" He groaned at the pain in various parts of his body and then sighed, defeated. So far, his plan was not going how he wanted it to.

"Well, I must say, you're a determined young lad." Teddy whipped around so fast his neck cracked. Wincing, his eyes widened as he took in the man standing before him: took _all_ of him in, that is, from the tip of his pointed hat, down the long silver hair and beard, past the midnight blue robes that exuded confidence, all the way to the dainty slippers peeking out from beneath the hem of the man's cloak. Teddy swallowed. He'd seen this guy before, too - but not in the flesh, seeing as though in the future, he was rather _dead_.

"D- Dumbledore!"

"Good morning to you too. Now, I will assume correctly that you wish to speak with me?" Teddy nodded. "In private?" Another nod. "Very well, then. If you would be so kind as to step aside- ah, thank you."

Teddy blinked with confusion as the Headmaster walked right up to the gargoyle and said the words: "Fizzing Whizzbee." What kind of password was that?

Swallowing his questions, Teddy followed Dumbledore up onto the slowly rotating spiral staircase that carried the both of them to a large, ornate door. Teddy had been here before, of course- but in his own time, when McGonagall was Headmistress. So it was that when the doors swung open, Teddy gasped. He'd never seen a room quite like it.

Books, strange spindly objects and all manner of magical artefacts lined the walls, as opposed to the rather sparse furnishings Teddy remembered were present in the year 2013. The occupants of the portraits all seemed to be fast asleep, but Teddy wasn't fooled.

What really caught his breath, however, sat just to the left of Dumbledore's desk - the same one McGonagall used - preening its feathers and lifting its grand head to watch him enter. Teddy couldn't believe he was seeing-

"-a phoenix," Teddy breathed, approaching carefully. An amused chuckle sounded from in front of him. He glanced up to see Dumbledore smiling faintly.

"His name is Fawkes, my dear boy. Rather fortunate you haven't seen him on a burning day; that's when most students do…but you're no ordinary student, are you?" Teddy swallowed at the clarity with which Dumbledore had been able to read the situation. Those piercing blue eyes behind their half-moon spectacles seemed to look right through him.

"Well- no, I'm not," Teddy replied lamely, settling himself gingerly into chintz armchair Dumbledore waved him towards. "I'm, er- well, I don't know how to say this-"

"I find, my dear boy," Dumbledore said, his expression vaguely sad as he steeped his fingers together, "That giving as truthful an answer as possible is far easier than trying to weave a worthy tale of words you can't quite grasp." Teddy gaped, then composed himself.

"Well, okay- I guess, sir, I'm-" _Out with it_, he told himself furiously. "My name is Teddy Lupin, and I'm from the future, sir." And to his absolute astonishment, Dumbledore's cragged and lined face broke into a wide smile.

"Lupin, you say? Well- I can't say I'm not pleased. And your mother is…?"

"Ah- Nymphadora Tonks, sir." Teddy breathed deeply, remembering the familiar marble face of the statue in the Hufflepuff common room that made him wake with a smile each and every morning.

"Splendid, splendid," Dumbledore murmured, seemingly lost in thought. After a long minute's pause, he looked up again, as if just remembering Teddy was still sitting awkwardly in his office. "Well, Teddy my boy, you've gotten yourself in quite a pickle, haven't you?"

"It wasn't my fault!" Teddy responded hotly. "The Room of Requirement, it just-"

"The Come and Go Room? It brought you here?" And for the first time since their twisted conversation had begun, Teddy could sense that Dumbledore was well and truly- well, dumbfounded.

"Yes, sir."

"I see." Another long silence followed. Teddy picked at the sleeve of his robe. "I'm afraid, my lad," Dumbledore said finally, "That I have no idea how to get you back home. Time travel is- a tricky thing, yes, very tricky. So I'm afraid, until we can call in an expert to solve your, er- your problem-" Dumbledore paused, eyeing Teddy carefully, "We'll just have to help you fit in."

"Fit in?" Teddy echoed.

"Well, yes. You're school age, aren't you? Judging by your apparel, of course- goodness, is that really what the uniform looks like in the future?" Teddy glanced down at himself; he saw nothing apparent that would cause the surprise and alarm in Dumbledore's voice. "Where were we? Ah, yes. Integration. As I was saying, Teddy, I rather think you'll just have to become a Hogwarts student of 1995. It is the only way for you to remain inconspicuous, I think."

"Inconspicuous…you mean, actually _learn?_ Take my O.W.L.s?"

"Certainly. I see you're already Sorted-"

"No."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I-" Teddy paused. The refusal had simply slipped out, and now he'd said it, the idea wouldn't go away. Sure, he wanted to get back to the year 2013- who wouldn't? But as long as he was stuck here, he was determined to get to know what life was like in the Second Wizarding War. _Which I'm in the middle of,_ Teddy suddenly thought numbly, remembering, too late, that Voldemort had returned in June this year- which meant he was at large as Teddy and Dumbledore spoke. Shaking away his fear, Teddy realised that there was no better way to get involved than to stay as close as he could to Harry- and that meant giving up his yellow and black tie for something far fiercer. Teddy took a deep breath.

"No, sir. I mean, I'm in Hufflepuff, yeah- but that was then. Or it will be. Whatever. Anyway, I just- you see, I know Harry Potter, sir, from my time, and I'd like to know him from this time, too."

"I see…so, Gryffindor it is, then?"

"Yes," Teddy replied firmly, and watched in wonder as, with a wave of his wand, Dumbledore transformed Teddy's uniform into one that sported red and gold. "And, um, I've already told some people that my name's Teddy Lewis- I thought it was-"

"Safer?"

"Yeah."

"Undoubtedly. Quick thinking, Mr Lewis. I take my hat off to you." Dumbledore remained motionless, and Teddy figured it was just a figure of speech. "Now, for security purposes, you are a recent transfer from- let's see- Australia."

"What about my accent- sir?"

"Your parents are British."

"Right. So…all set?"

"Of course. A bed in the Gryffindor dormitory awaits you. Your first lesson- History of Magic." Teddy groaned inaudibly. "And I don't suppose I have to tell you, Mr Lewis," Dumbledore added as Teddy stood, backed away and opened the door to leave, "You cannot mention your real circumstances to anyone. The consequences would be unimaginable."

"I won't, sir."

"I'm afraid you don't understand. You must not tell anyone of the future- not even your parents, if you meet them, understand?"

"I-"

"Understand?"

Teddy looked at his feet. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Now, off to work! Pip, pip."

Teddy took one last look at the Headmaster, bent with wisdom and age, and then closed the door behind him. What lay ahead of Teddy, he could only guess.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Not happy with the ending, but meh. Hopefully you liked this. I borrowed the banter between Harry-Ron-Hermione as they walk away from Teddy from _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_, page 201. Anything you recognise here probably isn't mine. Oh- I noticed quite a few people who faved/followed without reviewing. Please, please tell me what you think! And to all my reviewers, thanks, and I hoped this lived up to expectations! Please drop me a line if you see any mistakes - grammar, punctuation, spelling - because I'm notorious for them. xoxo


	3. Professor Umbridge

The day couldn't pass more slowly. Teddy found himself constantly on edge, having a miniature heart attack every time he saw someone he recognised from the future. He knew he was getting some odd looks himself; the sandy brown colour his hair had been when he first arrived had slowly morphed to an icy turquoise, and _everyone_ had noticed it. It was enough to drive him up the wall.

He'd seen Harry, Ron and Hermione various times too; they were in almost all of his classes, and it was starting to make him paranoid. What if they guessed something was up? Dumbledore had told him to lie low, but it was hard to do so when you're the subject of everybody's conversations.

Finally, however, it was the last period of the day. Teddy harrumphed into a seat at the back of Defence Against the Dark Arts class, hoping to pass by an easy lesson and not have to concentrate. Unfortunately, he had a suspicion this wasn't going to happen; the woman sitting at the teacher's desk looked like she meant business. Teddy sighed.

"Well, good afternoon!" Teddy jumped at the Professor's shrill voice. The class mumbled in reply. "Tut, tut," she said, looking around with a smile stretched across her remarkably toad-like face. "_That_ won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge'. One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!" Teddy complied, sitting up straight in his chair and adjusting his tie. He had the oddest feeling that this was one teacher he didn't want to get on the bad side of.

"There, now," Umbridge smiled. "That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please." Teddy stifled a groan, shoving his wand into his pocket. He _hated_ theory lessons.

Professor Umbridge then went on to talk about some sort of Ministry-approved curriculum, but Teddy tuned out. He mechanically copied down what he was told to, and when the class was asked to pull out their copies of _Defensive Magical Theory_, he wasn't in the least bit surprised to find the textbook appear magically in his bag. _Dumbledore_, he supposed tiredly. He opened up the book and stared blankly at the first page. The words melted together, forming a puddle of meaningless, boring nonsense that threatened to send him to sleep.

Trying hard not to give in to this desire, Teddy surreptitiously looked around the room and was shocked to see Hermione sitting with her hand in the air. Her book was shut tight. He glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed, and soon, half the class was watching. Umbridge, it seemed, couldn't keep up the pretence of ignoring Hermione for a moment longer now; she smiled that awful smile again and asked, "Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" Teddy blinked as Hermione responded in the negative. He blinked again, hard, when she continued to wave her hand in the air, even after Umbridge has expressly told her not to. If this had been someone else - Harry, for instance - Teddy wouldn't have been all surprised, but since it was _Hermione_, who was renowned for her work ethic, the situation was really messed up.

"There's nothing written here about _using_ defensive spells," Hermione was saying, and Teddy realised with a jolt that she was right.

"_Using_ defensive spells? Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?" Teddy hated this woman more and more with each second that passed.

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron exclaimed, and there was an outbreak of angry muttering, with which Teddy wholeheartedly agreed. In his time, jinxes and protective spells in Defence Against the Dark Arts were a necessity. He couldn't fathom why this Umbridge woman couldn't see that.

"-You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way-" Umbridge continued, when she was broken off by Harry.

"What use is that?" he said loudly. "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a-"

"_Hand_, Mr Potter!" Umbridge snapped, and Teddy wrinkled his nose. He had a sneaking suspicion that this was about to turn into something a whole lot more dangerous than a petty classroom argument. "I do not wish to criticise the way things have been run in this school, but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed - not to mention, extremely dangerous half-breeds." Teddy's heart stopped. _No, it couldn't be_, he thought dumbly.

"If you mean Professor Lupin," a dark-skinned boy piped up angrily, "He was the best we ever-"

Teddy stopped listening. He couldn't hear if he tried, anyway. His blood was boiling at a dangerously high temperature, and he suddenly found it hard to breathe. He'd known, he'd always known that his father had been a Professor here, but faced with the reality of that-

_And the fact that you missed out on him_, a small voice whispered in Teddy's head. He swallowed, a treasure chest of anger opening up inside of him. Why hadn't the Room sent him back a little bit further? Why had he been refused the rare opportunity to meet his father? And most importantly: _why_ had no-one told him about this Umbridge woman who degraded and despised his father with every word she spoke?

Breathing heavily, Teddy forced himself back into the conversation, determined to know where this was going. He tried to ignore the throbbing in his heart and in his head - he had a terrible feeling his headache was returning - and swallowed, concentrating hard.

"Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?" Umbridge was asking Harry, her voice sticky with the honey of lies.

"Hmm, let's think." Harry pretended to deliberate. "Maybe…_Lord Voldemort_?"

The effect of those words was instantaneous. Ron gasped; a boy Teddy recognised as his future Herbology Professor, Neville, slid sideways off his stool; several girls uttered horrified screams. Teddy, having grown up hearing Harry refer to his old nemesis by his full name, wasn't really fazed, but he understood where the shock was coming from. He'd heard his fair share of stories about the dreaded wizard, and to be totally honest, the mere memory of the guy was enough to send a chill up Teddy's spine.

Umbridge, on the other hand, looked triumphant. "Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Potter." Though this was only his first day in the house, Teddy felt indignant. "Now, let me make things quite plain." Umbridge stood, splaying her hands on the desk. "You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead-"

"He wasn't dead," Harry interrupted, and the anger in his voice was stronger than Teddy had ever heard it. "But yeah, he's returned!"

"Mr-Potter-you-have-already-lost-your-house-ten-points-do-not-make-matters-worse-for-yourself," Umbridge gasped out without even looking at Harry. "As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. _This is a lie_."

"It is NOT a lie!" Harry yelled; Teddy could almost see the smoke coming from his ears. "I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr Potter!" The class hushed, and Teddy's brow furrowed in thought. He was slowly beginning to grasp the situation. He'd heard snippets, whispered conversations, of a time when those who believed Voldemort had returned were the minority; that Harry had been shunned, ridiculed, but Teddy had taken this all to be nonsense. Who wouldn't believe Harry? But, as he was beginning to understand, maybe those rumours weren't so outrageous after all.

Teddy tensed as Harry stood, hands clenched into fists. "So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?" Teddy's stomach dropped, remembering suddenly the smooth, marble face of Cedric from the year 2013's Hufflepuff common room. He hadn't realised the full extent of that statue; to him, it had merely been a face, a name, something that was history now. But here, he realised, it was the harsh reality. He wished to go home more than ever.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," Umbridge deflected, her nostrils flaring warningly. Teddy wanted to cry out, stop Harry from exploding even further, but apart from the fact that his tongue was leaden in his mouth and couldn't move, he didn't think he'd make much of a difference, anyway. Harry wasn't likely to listen to the new weirdo at school, and everyone else would probably agree. Teddy sunk lower in his chair, never having felt less like Harry Potter's godson, never having felt less of a Gryffindor.

"It was murder," Harry said, his voice edged with the beginnings of hatred. "Voldemort killed him and you know it."

Teddy watched through half-closed eyes as Umbridge called Harry to her desk and sent him to McGonagall's office; as Harry walked past Teddy's chair, the latter tried to catch his gaze, but Harry was too distracted and furious to notice. He stalked past without saying a word and slammed the classroom door shut behind him.

Silence descended.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, a girlish giggle escaping. "Page five, 'Basics for Beginners', please." She sat down with a satisfied sigh and surveyed the group as they reluctantly turned to their open, far more boring than the current situation was, textbooks.

Teddy followed suit, but he wasn't taking a word of the chapter in. As soon as the bell rang, he packed up at top speed and was first out the door. He didn't want to hang around that Umbridge woman a moment longer than was necessary.

* * *

Dinner that evening was a noisy affair. Teddy tried to position himself as close as he could to Harry, Ron and Hermione to try and hear their conversation, but his efforts were futile. He eventually found himself sandwiched between a burly, blonde boy whose voice brought Teddy's headache back full blast, and a girl Teddy assumed was in the year below himself. He was just picking up his cutlery to try and spear himself some chicken when the girl turned and made his heart stutter.

Her eyes were full and almond brown, and the sea of freckles that swam across her face like the stars in the sky faded in comparison to her flaming red hair, which was plaited loosely and tossed behind her shoulders. Teddy felt himself unconsciously straighten, smoothing his tie and hoping to make a good impression-

When at that exact moment, he realised the girl he was sitting next to was, in fact, Harry's future wife, Ginny Potter. Or Weasley, now, anyway. Teddy swore. Ginny looked at him.

"I beg your pardon?" she asked indignantly, and Teddy swallowed.

"Um, sorry."

"Do you have something to say?" When he remained silent, Ginny frowned. "Was there something you wanted to say?" she enunciated clearly. "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

"Teddy Lu- Lewis. Transfer." Teddy smiled sheepishly at Ginny's arched eyebrow.

"Right," she muttered, turning back to her meal and shoving a slice of pork into her mouth. "I'm Ginny." Teddy swallowed and looked away as she chewed; he didn't know what was wrong with him, but he shouldn't feel this way about Ginny. _Couldn't_. It was disgusting to even think about it.

And yet… When the candlelight caught her flaming hair, all Teddy's doubts seemed to disappear.

He jabbed himself in the hand with his fork in an effort to coax some sense into his befuddled brain. Ginny shot him a look.

"Are you all right?" she asked, her voice mildly amused. "Would you like some help? It'd give me great pleasure to stab you myself." She lifted her knife invitingly.

"No, no thanks. I'm good." Teddy mustered a grin. "And yeah, I'm fine- just, um- Wrackspurts." He had said the first thing that popped into his head and, unfortunately, one of his many twisted conversations with Luna Scamander in the future had come to surface. He cursed himself inwardly.

Ginny seemed surprised. "Wrackspurts? You haven't been hanging around Luna, have you?"

"Luna?" Teddy took a deep breath. _She's not here too, is she? Because that would be _just_ perfect._

"Yeah, Lovegood. She's a friend of mine, and she's into all that sort of stuff- you know, Nargles, Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."

"Right."

Ginny shook her head, a smile dancing across her lips, and pushed her plate away. "I'm stuffed," she murmured to Teddy. "And I have a tonne of homework. You coming?"

Teddy blinked. "Coming?" he repeated dumbly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "To the common room, idiot. Unless you're not finished eating?"

Teddy took one look at his full plate, then down the table to where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting - except they weren't there any more. He stood. "I'm done. Wait up." He tried not to seem too excited to be walking with Ginny, alone, together; this was _Ginny_, for goodness sakes, the woman who had thrown him surprise birthday parties and who couldn't cook a meal if her life depended on it. She's changed his nappies, cut his hair, sang him to sleep - she was his second mother, not- not-

Teddy's mind changed tack at the speed of light as a small draught caused Ginny's robes to cling to _all _the right places. _She doesn't start dating Harry until her fifth year_, Teddy thought hazily, following Ginny up some stairs. _What's the harm in a little fun?_

So occupied was he with this inner turmoil, he didn't notice Ginny had stopped walking until he banged into her back. "Sorry," he muttered, rubbing his shoulder and looking up in wonder at the portrait that hung before the two of them. It was a woman - not a skinny one, at that - and she looked, for all intents and purposes, to be asleep. Ginny ignored this fact, mumbling a password Teddy couldn't quite catch, then strode through the hole in the wall that had appeared as the painting swung forward. Teddy followed, his eyes peeled.

The Gryffindor common room was comfortingly familiar. There was a roaring fireplace, cosy armchairs and beautiful tapestries adorning the walls. The only difference seemed to be the colour scheme - instead of Hufflepuff's black and yellow, this place was red and gold - and the noticeable presence of windows in the wall, which looked down at the courtyard from a great height. They gave Teddy vertigo, and he hastily stepped away.

Ginny turned to him, grinning. "I'd forgotten you never would've been here before. It's cool, isn't it? I remember my first time." She settled herself in an armchair by the fire, and as Teddy went to join her, he noticed with a touch of alarm that Harry, Ron and Hermione were already seated there. A small voice in his head demanded some alone time with Ginny, but the more sensible part of Teddy was pleased that there may be a chance to eavesdrop. He lowered himself to the carpet, getting out his roughly drafted Potions essay that was due on Thursday, along with a bedraggled quill and a spilt bottle of ink. Extremely conscious of Ginny sitting right behind him, Teddy bent over the parchment and pretended to concentrate, at the same time as listening in hard on Harry's conversation and trying to ignore Ginny's body heat that was warming up his neck quite nicely.

"You're leaving out hats for the house-elves?" Ron was saying. "And you're covering them up with rubbish first?"

"Yes," Hermione responded waspishly.

"That's not on," Ron replied angrily. Teddy's ears pricked up. "You're trying to trick them into picking up the hats. You're setting them free when they might not want to be free."

The conversation continued, but Teddy tuned out. Harry wasn't even taking part, and besides, the conversation didn't sound too important anyway. Just as Teddy had resolved to actually start work on his essay, Ginny let out a small exclamation behind him. He glanced up to see her pale, shocked face. "What?"

"Your hair!" she said, her eyes shining. "It's- it's-"

Teddy pulled on a strand of his fringe and, sure enough, the colour had morphed to a sunshine yellow. He smiled. "I'm a Metamorphmagus, Ginny," he said. "See?" With a scrunch of his nose, Teddy changed his eyes to a blood red, then back to his usual grassy green.

"Seriously?" Ginny breathed, sliding down to the floor beside Teddy, homework forgotten. "But that's really rare- I only know one other person like you!"

For the second time that day, Teddy's insides froze. "Oh? What's their name?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"Nymphadora Tonks. Oh, but- I don't think I was supposed to say I know her." Ginny bit her lip, looking away.

"Right. That's fine- but she sounds interesting."

"Yeah, she really is. I wish I could morph like you two." With a last longing look at his butter coloured locks, Ginny stood up and yawned. "I suppose I should go to bed… I'll see you later, Teddy, okay?" With a small wave, she ascended the girl's staircase, and Teddy was left alone with his thoughts, muddied and webbed with confusion as they were.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the wait, and the not-so-good chapter. I just was swamped with other stuff, and my muse refused to talk to me, so, yeah. Any dialogue you recongise probably belongs to Jo; I borrowed quite a chunk from OoTP. Stay tuned, and please review! (And please tell me about any mistakes, I'm a terrible proof-reader.)


	4. Nightmares

"Oi. Clot pole. Get up."

The world slid slowly into sharp relief as Teddy blinked the sleep from his eyes. Harry stood over him, yawning and looking unimpressed. "You're late."

"What?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Breakfast's almost finished, and at this rate, you'll miss first period, too."

"Thanks." Harry gave a half-shrug and left the dormitory. Teddy rubbed his eyes. They felt red and weepy; probably a side-effect from the nightmare he'd been having.

_The nightmare_. Fear stole over him as he remembered last night's dream in fragments. There had been a moon, half-hidden behind clouds but clearly full; a howling werewolf in the distance. Remembering the sound, Teddy shivered, knowing that it had been his father in the dream, coming to devour his only son. He'd been so ashamed to be frightened of his own _dad_, for Merlin's sakes, that he'd begun to cry, and it was at the exact moment the werewolf appeared on the horizon, cloaked in savage hunger, that Teddy had woken. And not a moment too soon, it seemed.

Sniffling slightly, Teddy slid out of bed and chucked on his uniform without really registering anything. He trudged to the bathroom, splashing some water on his face, and gripped the edge of the sink. He stared into the mirror.

A haggard young man stared back, his hair dull and mouse-brown, his eyes empty and hollow as his heart. "It wasn't real," Teddy whispered, and the man in the mirror whispered the same. "It was just a dream. It was just a dream."

For a long moment, Teddy couldn't breathe, the fear clutched his heart so tight. But then it was gone as soon as it had come, and as Teddy took the stairs two at a time, the feeling of unease that had been with him all morning begun to evaporate. By the time he'd reached the Great Hall, it was gone completely. _After all_, Teddy thought to himself, sliding into a seat at the Gryffindor table, _it _was _just a dream…wasn't it?_

Ginny provided a welcome distraction as she walked past. "Hey," she smiled, hovering by his shoulder. "You look like hell."

"Thanks." Teddy shovelled a forkful of eggs into his mouth and swallowed. "Do you want to sit down?"

Her smile wavered. "Sorry, I can't. I'm just finishing up here, and I said I'd go meet Michael before class."

"Michael?"

"Corner." Ginny hesitated. "My boyfriend."

"Oh. Right." Disappointment flowered in his chest for a moment, before Teddy remembered himself and who exactly he was talking to. _This is Ginny Potter_, he berated himself sternly. _Stop thinking about her like that._ "See you, then."

"Bye." With a last little wave that made his heart skid, Ginny left and Teddy's bad mood returned. He didn't feel hungry at all. Pushing his plate away, he examined his timetable. Double Charms and double Transfiguration. Brilliant.

Swinging his bag over his shoulder, Teddy stood and left the Great Hall just as the bell signalled for the start of class. Battling his way through a tidal wave of students, by the time he arrived at Professor Flitwick's classroom, almost all the seats had been taken. Teddy held onto the brief hope that he might be able to snag a seat near Harry, Ron and Hermione to do some spying, but he was beaten to it. Fuming, adding this failure to the already long List of Horrible Things Happening in Teddy's Day Today, Teddy took a seat at the back of the room and slumped down into the chair, waiting for Flitwick to arrive.

The professor didn't take long. He shambled into the room in a few minutes, his diminutive size coupled with his age making the walk up to his desk excruciatingly long. Teddy averted his eyes, feigning interest in the scribbles on his desk: _JP+LE_ encased in a heart, _enemies of the heir beware_ engraved along the side. He traced the words wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure with his ring finger, then deemed it safe to look up.

Flitwick was just settling himself into his chair. He called the register and Teddy earned himself a few curious glances as he answered to his name. Once finished, Flitwick called for quiet.

"As I'm sure you're all aware," he squeaked. "In June of next year you will be partaking in you OWL examinations. You have been preparing for these ever since you stepped foot inside of Hogwarts." Here Flitwick paused, and stood up on his chair for extra attention. "What you must remember," he continued, "Is that these examinations may influence your futures for many years to come! If you have not already given serious thought to your careers, now is the time to do so. And in the meantime, I'm afraid, we shall be working harder than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice! Are there any questions?"

A girl with curly brown hair raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Brown?"

"I was just wondering, sir, when we get our exam timetables?"

"Not until April. Anyone else?" The class was silent. "Good. Now, today we will just be revising Summoning Charms, which," Flitwick raised his voice in response to the clamour of protests from the students, "Are bound to come up in your Charms OWL. If I remember correctly, only a handful of you were able to successfully complete the spell, last year, so please, do at least _try_. There are cushions for you to work with," Flitwick waved his wand and a pile of pillows appeared, "So off to work!"

Everyone scrambled for their cushions and wands, and soon the room was filled with the cries of _Accio_ and _Accio cushion_. Teddy manoeuvred himself past a pair of whispering girls and sat down right next to Hermione, who was busy Summoning and Banishing her cushion with ease. Predictably, Ron was having difficulties and swearing his head off, but Harry, on his other side, was just as good if not better than Hermione. Teddy stored that surprising nugget of information away. It might be useful later. He perked up his ears.

"All I'm saying, Harry," Hermione murmured out the corner of her mouth, "Is that you don't want Umbridge on your bad side. You said she works for the Ministry? You know Fudge would love to get the dirt on you, and I don't think it's the best course of action to give him something to work with."

"I'm not doing it on purpose!" Harry sounded furious. "She gets under my skin-"

"I know, Harry, but you just need to calm down."

"No, I don't, she needs to get her priorities straight."

"I don't disagree with you, Harry-"

"Then why the interrogation?"

"-but will you please stop biting my head off? I'm only trying to help."

"Right. Sorry."

"_Accio_. That's quite all right." Hermione sounded downright cheerful. "I doubt the Order isn't aware of Umbridge, anyway, and they're bound to try to do something about it-"

The Order? Teddy frowned slightly. It sounded like some sort of secret organisation, but it was rather odd that he'd never heard of it. Shouldn't something that important be mentioned in his modern History of Magic books?

"-and I doubt they'll be any help whatsoever," Harry was saying. "No-one knows they exist, remember? _Accio_."

"Harry's got a point, Hermione," Ron cut in for the first time. "The Order's all well and good, but none of them really has any power except Dumbledore, and he's the one who agreed to Umbridge in the first place!"

There was a frosty silence. Then Hermione again: "I don't think it's safe talking about this anyway, Harry. Anyone could be listening." With that, Hermione swivelled and cast an annoyed look in Teddy's direction. He pretended to be focusing on the spell work.

"_Accio_," he muttered, and to his complete and utter surprise, the pillow flew straight towards him and landed on the desk. He grinned.

As the lesson wrapped up, Flitwick assigned them a ridiculously large workload which included a five-foot long essay on the origin of the Summoning Charm. Teddy took it without complaint, then followed his classmates to Transfiguration.

By the time lunch break rolled around, Teddy's head was beginning to throb. He had so much homework he didn't know where to begin: he'd half-finished his Potions essay on the uses of moonstone last night, but McGonagall had not been kind to her students, having assigned them spell practice. Teddy spent his free hour in the library, polishing off Snape's essay. He noticed Ron and Harry feverishly looking through some books, and smirked slightly. It seemed his teenage godfather wasn't quite the scholar everyone had cracked him up to be.

Care of Magical Creatures passed by, leaving Teddy teetering on the edge of tedious boredom. There was yet more homework, and on top of that, he was still puzzling over this curious Order Harry, Ron and Hermione had mentioned. He was so preoccupied with these thoughts that he walked straight into Ginny as she spilled out from the greenhouse, along with the other fourth years.

"Merlin, I'm sorry," Teddy stammered, regaining his balance and grimacing.

"Don't worry about it," Ginny smiled, causing butterflies to erupt in his stomach. "I'll see you round, okay?"

"Bye."

Teddy gazed longingly after her for a moment before reality and self control took hold. He continued into the greenhouse, squeezing into a spot between the girl who'd asked a question in Charms and a skinny boy with sandy hair. During Professor Sprout's opening OWL lecture, the girl turned and caught Teddy's eye.

"I'm Lavender Brown," she whispered excitedly, and Teddy's heart contracted. He'd read enough books about the war to know she was one of the casualties. Swallowing the bile that had risen to his throat, Teddy managed a wavering smile back. "Teddy Lewis."

"It's nice to meet you. This is Parvati," Lavender indicated a tall Indian girl on her other side.

"Hey," Teddy greeted her. Parvati nodded.

"So is it true you're a Metamorphmagus?" Lavender's eyes shone with hope.

"What? Oh- yeah, yeah, I am." Teddy didn't bother to ask how she knew; news travelled fast around Hogwarts.

"Can you show me?"

With the long-suffering practice of someone who has been asked that question hundreds of times, Teddy scrunched up his face in concentration and felt his hair change to a colour that matched Lavender's. She gasped in awe. "That's so amazing," she gushed.

Teddy shrugged off the compliment awkwardly. "It's nothing, really-"

"Brown, Lewis!" Professor Sprout barked from the front of the class, and Teddy fell silent. "Pay attention." When Sprout began talking again, Lavender glanced at Teddy and mouthed the word _sorry_. He grimaced his understanding, and they spent the rest of the class in silence.

Dinner couldn't come quickly enough. Teddy ate like a maniac, he was so hungry. He kept an eye out for Harry, but then he remembered the guy's detention with Umbridge. There would be no eavesdropping tonight, then.

Finishing up, Teddy began the walk back up to Gryffindor Tower before a thought struck him. _The Order._ There was bound to be stuff about them in at least one book. And where were all books kept? The library. Teddy changed his course and made his way past Madam Pince, settling down at an empty table in a corner. It was only when he was walking over to the shelves did he realise his mistake: sure, there might be books about the Order in the year 2013, but now, in 1995? No chance.

Almost swearing, Teddy traipsed back to his table, resolving to at least use his time here wisely and tackle a portion of his mountainous homework. He roughly drafted the skeleton of his Charms essay, then spent the next half hour quietly trying to Vanish his inkwell. On what seemed to be the one thousand and thirteenth try, he succeeded, and whooped in elation. Madam Pince shot him an angry look, and Teddy packed up quick smart before she could descend like a bird of prey upon his helpless carcass.

Making his way back to the common room, Teddy didn't realise his feet had taken him to Hufflepuff's basement instead of Gryffindor's tower until he was staring at the barrels that concealed the room's entryway. A feeling of homesickness welled up inside of him, so strong his knees trembled.

Sure, it'd only been two days since he'd arrived in the past, but the strangers that surrounded him, combined with the workload, the nightmare and the mysteries that seemed to be piling up - Umbridge, his father, the Order - was enough to remind him that this wasn't his home. He could never be safe and comfortable here, and would never be again until he was back in the future with his friends - Mitchell, Victoire - and even his enemies like Flint. Teddy sighed.

He debated sneaking into the Hufflepuff dorms. It would be easy, too easy… He knew the way in, knew it like the back of his hand. But no. He couldn't. He didn't belong there, not now, not while his red and gold tie strangled him and reminded him of everything he wasn't.

Biting his lip, Teddy turned on his heel and headed towards Gryffindor tower, making sure he was taking the right route. When he finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and mumbled the password, it was late and he was tired. Clambering into bed, Teddy shrugged off the worry of the day and closed his eyes. It took him a long time to fall asleep.

_Darkness surrounded him. A full moon hung overhead, shrouded in cloud. He was back._

_This time, along with the werewolf's howl, there was a scream. It was a long minute before Teddy realised that it was his own. The wolf - his father - appeared at the summit of the hill and bore down on him. Teddy was frozen with fear, but as the werewolf took a flying leap, teeth bared, a woman came out of nowhere and flung her arms out, shielding Teddy from harm. The wolf's maw closed around her throat and she fell, lifeless, as if in slow motion. Her glassy eyes stared up at Teddy as her bubblegum pink hair faded to a mousy brown, and then the world around him faded to white._

* * *

**Author's Note:** SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY for the wait and the disappointing chapter. I really wanted to get something written before I head off on my holidays. So this is a heads-up: there may not be a chapter here for a while. Like, maybe a month. More. I don't know, so please, I hope you understand. Standard disclaimer applies, and I'd love it if you reviewed! Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all! xoxo

Also, if you understand the reference at the very beginning with 'clot pole', you are an AMAZING person!


	5. The Consequences of Eavesdropping

The rest of the week passed in a sodden fashion. Rain beat against the windows and any classes Teddy had outdoors always left him coughing up a storm. Eventually, however, Friday dawned and something like relief burst open inside his chest. He hadn't realised his OWL year would be so ruddy hard. Of course, it didn't help that he was trapped in the year 1995, either.

"Hey, Teddy," a voice said as he dug into his cereal, breaking through the spider web of his thoughts. He glanced up and saw Lavender Brown, the girl from the greenhouse, hovering by his side. "Mind if I sit?" At Teddy's gesture, she plunked down onto the bench beside him, looking just as tired and careworn as he felt.

"You all right?" he asked, curious as to why his bad mood had pervaded into other people's lives.

"Oh, yeah, you know," Lavender replied glumly, spreading liberal amounts of plum jam on her toast. "Just a bit overwhelmed."

"Tell me about it."

They ate in silence for a while, and Teddy's gaze wandered. He saw Ginny standing over by the Ravenclaw table, talking to and - ugh - snogging a guy who could only be Michael Corner. Avoiding that spectacle and trying to quash the outraged butterflies flitting about in his stomach, Teddy focused in on Harry, Ron and Hermione who were practically sitting opposite him and Lavender.

"-sorry, mate, I wish I could make the tryouts, but, well. You know," Harry was saying. Teddy furrowed his brow slightly as he noticed something that looked like fresh red scars on the back of Harry's hand. Tilting his head surreptitiously, Teddy just caught a glimpse of the sentence _I must not tell lies_ before Harry caught him watching and scowled, pulling his sleeve down over the marks. "Mind your own business," he hissed over the table, then stood and stumped away. Ron and Hermione looked after him in confusion, then glanced at Teddy. He quickly looked down at his plate.

What on earth was that about? _I must not tell lies…_ And then it clicked. Umbridge. Detention. He'd heard Harry say something about writing lines, but he must have been twisting the truth. Teddy felt sick. _That old hag._ First those remarks about his father, then not believing Harry about Voldemort, and now this?

Teddy's gaze flickered to Lavender. "How about Umbridge, huh?" he probed. Lavender rolled her eyes.

"I know. She's awful, isn't she? And her clothes? Ugh, don't even get me started." Teddy blinked. Well, Lavender _was_ a girl, after all. "But you're talking about Harry's detention, right? She was way too harsh on him, but I still can't believe he'd say those things to a teacher." Teddy froze. "I mean, You-Know-Who returned? Come _on_." Lavender didn't seem to notice Teddy's distress, happily munching on her last slice of toast. Teddy swallowed. He couldn't take it.

"Uh, I, um, have to go." Standing hurriedly, Teddy stalked down the aisle and out the doors, taking deep, calming breaths. _She doesn't know any better_, he thought to himself. _You can't blame her. You've read the _Prophet. And it was true. Teddy had read the paper yesterday and was horrified to see what was inside. All those subtle jibes at Harry and Dumbledore? They were ridiculous, but now he understood why so many people didn't believe Harry. It was because, day after day, they were all exposed to propaganda and news that all but made Harry out to be a psycho. It was no wonder those who believed were in the minority.

Suddenly and inexplicably, Teddy's nightmare rose to the forefront of his mind. He'd been trying to suppress and ignore it - after all, it was just a dream - but it always came to his attention at the least convenient of times, and was enough to make him feel physically ill. The dream with his father had been bad enough, but then the second one with his mother - for he was sure that was who it was - was infinitely worse. Teddy felt his hair almost shrink and morph to a mousy brown. He was not feeling at all well.

"Teddy?" He jumped and spun around, reaching instinctively for his wand before realising that it was Hermione who stood before him, biting her lip and looking uncharacteristically uncertain. "Are you all right? It's just-" She broke off, swallowing. Teddy pocketed his wand and tried for a smile.

"I know. Sorry. Just tired."

"Right." She didn't believe him in the slightest and under her brown-eyed glare, Teddy felt himself falter. For a moment - the barest trace of a moment, the thinnest sliver of one - he considered telling her everything. After all, this was Hermione, and she was bound to know what to do, wasn't she? And hadn't she used a Time Turner herself, once upon a time? She was smart enough not to spill the beans to anyone else, and resourceful enough to help-

"Teddy?" He blinked. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, course." Teddy cleared his throat and tried for a nonchalant grin. "Um, yeah. Fine." Hermione gave him one last sceptical look before shrugging and beginning to walk away. A moment suspended in the air before Teddy couldn't take it any longer.

"Hermione!" he called, cringing at the desperate tone of his voice. The girl turned and appraised him. "I just - I wanted to know -"

"Yeah?"

"I-wondered-if-you-could-tell-me-about-the-Order," he said all in one breath, before wishing he could take it all back. Hermione frowned.

"I'm sorry," she began slowly, walking back toward him carefully. "I don't think I heard you right."

"I was just wondering," Teddy stammered, quivering under her watchful glare, "If you could tell me about - about the Ord -"

"Shut up," Hermione said succinctly, grabbing his sleeve and jerking him down the corridor. She didn't stop pulling until she found an abandoned classroom and shoved him inside. She locked the door behind them with a flick of her wand. "Who are you?"

Teddy paused, knowing she wasn't asking for his name because she'd forgotten. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all. "A friend," he managed finally. "Just - just someone who wants to help. I swear."

Hermione regarded him carefully. The bell rang for class. Her lips quirked downwards. "Bad timing."

"Yeah, definitely, the worst, I'll just go now -"

"How about we resume this scintillating conversation at lunch, then?"

"Er -"

"I'll meet you here after Potions." With that, Hermione turned on her heel, clutched her books tight to her chest and stomped out the door. Teddy blinked several times before following her, wondering whether or not she'd kill him slowly and painfully or just put him out of his misery now.

* * *

Potions couldn't have passed more quickly. It seemed to Teddy that one minute, he was just unscrewing his bottle of frog spawn and trying to avoid Hermione's gaze, then the next the bell had rung and his heart was plummeting all the way down to the leather soles of his boots.

He packed up as slowly as he could, and so it was that as he made to leave the classroom he was the lonely person left in it; that was, apart from Professor Snape. Just as Teddy turned to the door, a billowing black figure stepped out in front of him and blocked his path. Teddy swallowed, his hair slowly shrinking to a mousy brown.

"Lewis," Snape spat, the word sounding slippery on his tongue.

"Sir."

"I understand that you are a transfer . . . from Australia." Snape drew out the words in an almost languid fashion.

"Y - Yes sir."

"How . . . _illuminating_."

"I suppose, professor." Teddy chanced a look at his watch; he was late, and the odds of Hermione killing him were almost one hundred percent now. "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm late for -"

"Then don't straggle next time, Lewis," Snape snapped, before stepping aside and watching with narrowed eyes as Teddy stumbled past him. The boy reminded him of someone, but he just couldn't figure out whom.

* * *

"I'm late, I'm sorry." The door slammed shut behind Teddy as he made his hesitant way over to where Hermione stood, her arms crossed. He dropped his bag to the floor.

"It's fine," she said quietly, brushing her fringe from her eyes. "Just sit down." Teddy took she chair Hermione had indicated. She took the one opposite. "So. You know about the Order, then."

"Uh," Teddy replied. "I mean, yes. I mean, maybe. I think."

Hermione's eyes narrowed even further. "You think?"

"That is - what I mean, I guess - well - I suppose I heard you talking about it. In Charms."

"You eavesdropped?" She sounded incredulous. Teddy felt suddenly defensive.

"Well, yeah," he responded hotly. "It's not my fault you're all talking loud enough for even Professor Binns to hear, is it?"

Hermione pursed her lips, an expression so familiar to Teddy from when she scolded her children - in the _future_ - that he felt strangely comforted. "I suppose not." She was quiet for a moment. "Well, it's nothing. Just something stupid." She stood, but Teddy flung out an arm in front of her.

"You're telling me that you acted like this - all secretive and _I'll-kill-you-if-you-breathe-a-word-of-this_ - just because of something stupid?" Teddy let out a bark of laughter. "Yeah right. Tell me, Hermione. You can trust me, I swear. I promise."

She looked at him for a long moment. "I'm afraid I don't set much store by your promises, Teddy Lewis," she said, and by the time her words clicked it was too late for Teddy to stop the wand that was being aimed at his face or the word - _"Stupefy"_ - that followed.

He sank into darkness.

* * *

A pair of half-moon spectacles floated above him. Teddy wrinkled his nose, then blinked several times until the blue eyes behind the glasses came into focus as well, followed by the wrinkled face they belonged to, and then the long white hair and beard that framed it all.

"Dumbledore!" Teddy sat up so fast the newly-appeared world spun around him. He steadied himself with a hand, then slowly realised where he was.

Dumbledore's office. And he and Dumbledore weren't alone. Hermione stood warily off to the side, looking as if she didn't know quite what to do. Teddy scowled at her. After what she'd done, at least she had the decency to blush.

"Steady," Dumbledore said softly. "Now, Miss Granger here tells me you confronted her about a particularly delicate issue. She seemed to think it was best left up to me to decide your fate."

"My fate?" Teddy's tongue felt like sandpaper.

"Yes. Now, as I have just assured her that you truly mean no harm, and would indeed be an asset to us in times to come, but perhaps you could explain a little further?"

Teddy took in the Headmaster's words, realising that Dumbledore was forcing him to come up with his own cover story. Great. "Um, yeah," he began, his words still slow and sluggish. "My, um, parents helped, um, to fight in the, ah, war. Yeah. They taught me some stuff."

Hermione stepped forward. "Stuff," she repeated sceptically.

"Yeah. You know, stuff about Vol -"

"Shut up," Hermione said again, then sighed. "Okay, I guess I trust him. If you do, Professor."

"I most certainly do."

"Then . . . what? Do I tell him everything?"

Dumbledore steeped his long fingers together. "Perhaps you, along with Mr Weasley and Mr Potter, could explain things this evening? Once I've had my own talk with him, of course."

Hermione froze slightly. "Of course, Professor. I'll just - um - see myself out." She left, casting a last curious glance at Teddy behind her before shutting the heavy oak door and leaving him and Dumbledore alone.

"Well, Mr Lewis," Dumbledore began. "Or should it be Mr Lupin? Anyhow, it seems you've gotten yourself into a right state your first week of school, haven't you?"

"I suppose, sir."

"I don't have to remind you again that you must not, under any circumstances, tell anyone who you really are, or where you are truly from?"

Teddy hesitated, remembering how close he'd come this morning to spilling the beans to Hermione. "No, sir."

Dumbledore surveyed him for a long moment. "Good. Now, about your current predicament. Seeing how much you wished to be involved with Harry Potter and his doings, as you told me during our last meeting, I believe this to be a step in the right direction."

"I don't suppose you could tell me what the Order actually is, could you, Professor?"

"I think I'll leave that task up to Miss Granger, Mr Weasley and Mr Potter. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to answer your questions." Teddy couldn't help but disagree, remembering how cold Harry had been towards him since they'd met, but he didn't say it out loud. "I rather think that is all - oh, I do suppose that you are aware Quidditch tryouts for the Gryffindor team take place in precisely twenty-three minutes?" Teddy blinked. "No? Well, now you are. It was lovely seeing you again, Mr Lupin. Lewis."

Teddy recognised a dismissal when he heard one. Rising from his seat, mulling over what Dumbledore had said - Quidditch tryouts? Did he really want to juggle Quidditch as well as everything else? - a memory came to him with such clarity he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Professor?"

"Yes, my boy?"

"I just- well, it's just I've been having these dreams." Teddy turned back to face Dumbledore and watched the older wizard's brows draw together.

"Dreams?"

"Well, more like nightmares, sir. About - about my parents."

"I see." Dumbledore looked deeply troubled for a moment. "What were the natures of these dreams?"

Teddy bit his lip, furious at himself for feeling such inescapable terror at the memories. "Well, in one, I was alone, and heard - heard a werewolf. It was my dad." Dumbledore nodded. "And - and in the other . . . in the other my mum was there, too. She jumped in front of me when my dad - when the wolf was there. She, um -" Teddy stopped abruptly.

"I see," Dumbledore said again, then sighed. "Well, I highly doubt these visions mean anything. They are almost definitely only a manifestation of your fears to meet your parents. It is only natural." He smiled, but Teddy couldn't shake the feeling the Headmaster was hiding something. "And there is no doubt you will meet them, considering you're tangled up in the Order now."

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir." Teddy turned towards the door, before he was stopped by another thought. "Sir, Professor Umbridge was talking the other day, about - about my dad." Dumbledore's face was inscrutable. "He was a teacher here. Wasn't he?"

"One of the best, my boy."

"She also said -"

"I wouldn't put much stock into what Dolores Umbridge tells you, Mr Lupin," Dumbledore injected gently. "She is a woman driven by her passions, and that can make one say and do unspeakable things."

"Right. Thanks, sir."

With that Teddy finally left, puzzling over the new information he held in his head. He knew he never should've listened to Umbridge, but still, hearing Dumbledore's words had reassured him. But the nightmares . . . Teddy was sure they were more than just dreams. He just didn't want to believe it.

Sighing, he trudged down the moving spiral staircase and wondered whether or not it would be too late to sign up for Quidditch tryouts. Despite everything, Teddy felt he could use an escape. He needed something to take his mind off of things - especially off of the thought of confronting Harry tonight about joining the Order, and of the fact that Dumbledore had said he would almost certainly be meeting his parents now. Teddy couldn't control the small flutter of butterflies in his stomach as he thought of seeing his mum and his dad for the first time in his life. What if they didn't like him? What if they didn't trust him? What if he did something that made it certain that they would never even _have_ him in the first place?

He hoped he got a better reception from Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks than he had gotten from Harry Potter, otherwise . . . well, he didn't know. But whatever it was, it could _not_ be good.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Like I said, a month's wait. I'm truly very sorry, but holidays were unavoidable. I hope you enjoyed this. The next chapter will begin right after this one leaves off, and hopefully it won't be too long a wait, but no promises. School is really going to be piling on the workload this year. PLEASE REVIEW (and inform me of any mistakes, because I didn't exactly proof-read this!). And yes, I do know I swapped perspectives slightly with Snape, but it builds the tension, I swear! Here's a sneak peek of chappie #5:

_Hermione was waiting for Teddy at the bottom of the stairs. He tried not to look too surprised. She fell into step beside him._

_"So are you trying out for Quidditch?" he asked, hoping to break the ice._

_"No," Hermione responded frostily - oh, the irony - and shrugged. "Not really my thing. You?"_

_"I was thinking I'd give it a shot."_

_Hermione gave him a look. "You do know they start in about seven minutes, don't you?" She laughed as Teddy checked his watch and swore._


	6. The Order of the Phoenix

Hermione was waiting for Teddy at the bottom of the stairs. He tried not to look too surprised. She fell into step beside him.

"So are you trying out for Quidditch?" he asked, hoping to break the ice.

"No," Hermione responded frostily - oh, the irony - and shrugged. "Not really my thing. You?"

"I was thinking I'd give it a shot."

Hermione gave him a look. "You do know they start in about seven minutes, don't you?" She laughed as Teddy checked his watch and swore. "Come on, I'll show you a short cut to the pitch." She sounded much more genial than before, and Teddy knew he had Dumbledore to thank for that. He followed Hermione as she reached a little dip in the floor that led to an alcove. She pushed against a brick that looked like all the others, and a doorway appeared in the stone. Teddy blinked. He'd never thought of Hermione as a secret-passageway kind of girl, but he supposed hanging around with Harry, Ron and the Marauder's Map couldn't have done her much good.

The passage was short and dark. Teddy felt his pulse quicken every time he heard something foreign - the scraping of a shoe, the scurrying of a mouse - and he didn't really know why. Maybe it was the nerves in his stomach at the thought of confronting Harry later that night, or maybe it was just a slight queasiness about Quidditch tryouts. It was soon over, though, and he and Hermione emerged in the outer corridor of the school by an open window, out of which Teddy could see the sun, the grass, and the six distant hoops of the Quidditch pitch. Blurred figures in red and gold robes zoomed around the stands.

"There you go, then."

Teddy looked to Hermione and had to squint; the sun shone from behind her and made his eyes water. "Thanks. I guess I'll see you tonight?"

Hermione took a long, deep breath. She looked on edge. "We'll meet you in the common room, okay? After tryouts and Harry's detention." Teddy nodded automatically, then stood watching for a long moment as Hermione jogged away, before turning and heading out toward the pitch.

* * *

He reached the grounds just as a tall girl with braided black hair blew a whistle. She saw him arriving and walked over, her expression a little on the stonier side of the spectrum. "Uniform?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Broom?"

"Er -"

"Change rooms are over there," the girl said, pointing to a small building by the side of the stands. "Get some robes, get a broom, and be out here in five." She stalked away. Teddy swallowed and did as she said.

He emerged from the changing rooms to see everyone gathered in the centre of the pitch. He tugged on the unfamiliar uniform, feeling the slightly roughened fabric that was an earlier version of the streamlined suits players wore in the year 2013. The red and gold made him uneasy. He felt raw and exposed, almost like a nerve, without his usual black and yellow cocoon. He tried not to let his wariness show as he joined the crowd and listened to the braided-hair girl as she addressed the wannabe members of the team.

"All right, I'm assuming everyone here knows how to ride a broomstick. So I'm just going to get straight into it." Her tone was formidable. The silence was thick. "Chasers, Beaters and Keepers please split up into groups. _Now_, thanks." Everyone hurried into position, no-one questioning why the position of Seeker was closed for tryouts. It was clearly kept for Harry.

Teddy headed over to the Chaser crowd and hovered anxiously amongst a group of tall, athletic-looking girls and a couple of skinny guys. He saw a few recognisable faces, but none he could name. Lavender Brown wasn't here, nor was her friend Parvati or the other boys from Teddy's dorm. Apart from Ron, that was, who was hanging with the two other hopefuls trying for Keeper. Teddy knew that Ron would make the team - it had been a family story told around the fire for as long as he could remember - but he still felt nervous for the guy. He wondered if the tryout results would change, now that he was here - like maybe because he came from the future, he was changing the past, which was now the present, and would thus change the future which was his _actual _present.

Teddy blinked as his head throbbed. No wonder Dumbledore had explicitly told him not to tell anybody about his true life. It was enough to send someone mad if they thought long enough about it.

"Chasers," the tall girl was saying. "Do a lap of the pitch, then get in line and each have a shot with Ron, Geoffrey and Vicky." She indicated the Keepers. Teddy swallowed and mounted his broom up into the air. It was much slower than anything he was used to, and a little prone to mild spasms or twitches, but it was rideable. As he got used to it, Teddy chanced a look at the ground and the people standing there.

His heart gave a flip and he felt like throwing up.

Sitting down together were two identical guys with freckled faces, red hair and stretchy grins. Teddy knew them instantly as Fred and George Weasley, and he knew almost as instantly that in two and a half years, one of them would be dead.

His broom rocked up and down.

It was different than with Lavender. He'd never really known about her, only heard her name as a fact, a statistic. She was a casualty of the war, a grievous death, but merely a death all the same. But with Fred Weasley? He had been as much a part of Teddy's childhood as George was. He was ever-present, always the ghost watching over your shoulder, the hand to guide you. Seeing him now in the flesh, knowing that soon there would only be a gaping hole where he stood?

Teddy hurtled back to the ground just in time to empty his stomach into the grass.

He wiped his mouth and straightened, shaking. Everyone was staring at him: Ron, George, Fred, the girl with braided hair. The latter strode over and took his arm.

"You all right?" she asked, her tone uncharacteristically soft. Teddy shook his head.

"I think I might actually sit this one out." He felt scooped out and hollow inside. He couldn't make eye contact with anyone, especially not the Weasleys.

"Want me to take him to the Hospital Wing, Angelina?" one of the onlookers asked from the stands. Teddy answered before the tall girl, Angelina, could.

"I'll be fine, thanks. Sorry about the trouble." He grimaced. "I'll see you around."

As he left for the changing rooms, broom in hand, Teddy could feel about twenty pairs of eyes boring into his back. The red and gold robes clung to his skin and made him clammy. He was suddenly glad he wouldn't have the chance to wear them again, if only because he missed his Hufflepuff uniform.

Once inside the change rooms, Teddy quickly stripped and pulled on his school clothes. He took the broomstick to its shed and went to stand in front of the grimy mirror in the bathroom, studying himself. There were dark shadows under his eyes and he was very pale. Swallowing, Teddy morphed the sickliness away, until all that could be seen were the snapping amber-brown eyes of his father and his mother's bright pink hair.

In that moment, he missed his parents more than he'd ever thought was possible. He knew that meeting them now, when they didn't know who he was, would be excruciating. He knew he'd have trouble not blurting out the truth in front of them. And he knew that, no matter how bad he'd felt seeing Fred Weasley and knowing that smile would soon be wiped off the face of the earth forever, it was nothing compared to how he'd feel seeing Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, let alone talking to them.

The butterflies in Teddy's stomach increased tenfold as he hefted his schoolbag over his shoulder and headed back toward the castle. He really hoped what Harry, Ron and Hermione had to say tonight would ease his knotted heart, but it was a flimsy wish.

* * *

The common room was comfortingly warm as Teddy waited by the fire. He'd eaten dinner early, and was the first back to Gryffindor tower. He'd all but nibbled his fingernails away.

The portrait hole opened with a bang and Teddy jumped, turning. His heart pumped faster. Ginny was walking towards him, her smile small.

"Hey, Teddy," she said, flopping down to the floor beside him. "I heard you skipped out on tryouts."

"How'd you know?"

"I was there. I mean, I came late, after you'd left - tried out for Chaser." She grimaced. "Everyone was talking about it. You all right?" Teddy nodded. Ginny eyed him sceptically. "Uh-huh. Whatever. Anyway, you waiting for someone?"

"Yeah, Hermione. And -"

"Ron and Harry, right?" Ginny sighed. "They might take a while. I think Angelina's still trying to figure out who to make Keeper, and I'd bet anything Umbridge is holding Harry for as long as possible without qualifying for child abuse." She rolled her eyes.

"You don't like Umbridge, I take it?"

"Does anyone? She spits out this whole load of garbage - I mean, just today, had her first period. You know she's not actually letting us use magic at all? It's ridiculous, especially with You-Know-Who around now." Ginny stared into the flames. Teddy swallowed.

"So you think he's back, then?"

"I _know_ he's back, Teddy. Harry and Dumbledore both say so, and - well, they're Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. Of course I believe them." She shifted uneasily, as if there was something else she wanted to say but couldn't. Teddy wondered if she was involved in this mysterious Order as well. He had a sneaking suspicion she would be.

"Are you scared?"

Ginny turned her wide brown eyes to him. He wished he hadn't spoken. "Yes," she said simply, but before she could elaborate, the portrait hole opened again and Hermione strode in, her gaze honing in on Teddy like a heat-seeking missile. She walked over and Ginny stood.

"I should go," the latter said. "I'm meeting Michael. See you two around." She gave the both a cute little wave that forced Teddy to morph his blush away. She left the common room and Hermione sat down.

"Harry and Ron might be a while, sorry," she said, repeating Ginny's earlier sentiment. "And when they come back I wouldn't count on quiet. There's always a bit of a party here after tryouts." She rubbed her temples. "I suppose we could just start. I don't really feel like waiting." She looked at Teddy expectantly, and he felt his heart lighten. Hermione, he could deal with. He was glad he wouldn't have to face Harry, at least not for a while. It was silly, being scared of his godfather, but that's how it was. No wonder no-one messed with Harry when he was out in the field doing top secret Auror business. He was bloody scary.

"Yeah, sure, Hermione. That'd be great."

"Okay." She shifted into a cross-legged position and thought for a moment. "I suppose the first thing you should know is that You-Know-Who is back. No questions asked." She waited for Teddy to object, and continued when he stayed silent. "All right. So, in the last wizarding war, a sort of secret society was formed by those who wanted to fight You-Know-Who. It was called the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore was its founder. Of course, it dissolved when the war ended - when most of the members died, actually." She swallowed. "But it was reformed last June. It's all very underground, of course - but Dumbledore seems to think we can trust you, so…?"

"You can trust me," Teddy said immediately, trying to process the information Hermione had just told him. Everything was sliding into place. "The members of this Order, Hermione," he began slowly. "Would you - I mean, could you tell me who they are?"

She looked steadily at him for a long moment. "I guess. You'll come to know them anyway, if you get involved. Which I suppose you already are." She rubbed her nose. "You probably won't know a lot of them. Of course there's Dumbledore, then McGonagall and Snape -"

"Snape?" Teddy blinked in surprise. He'd never have pinned the Potions master as an Order member - but he supposed he should have. Harry's future son, after all, was called Albus Severus. "Sorry, go on."

"Some of the other teachers might be involved, but I'm not really sure. I don't know everything about everything. There's Mad-Eye Moody - you might've heard of him - and Kingsley Shacklebolt, Emmeline Vance, the Weasleys, Nymphadora Tonks - she's a Metamorphmagus like you, actually." Hermione looked at him thoughtfully. "That's odd. But anyway. Let's see - oh, and of course there's Remus Lupin, who was in it last time, and -"

Hermione broke off, looking around furtively before shuffling closer to Teddy and leaning in. "And Sirius Black," she whispered. "But don't freak! He's actually a good guy." She looked at Teddy warily, as if waiting for him to explode.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "All right. I'll take your word for it." Beneath his calm façade, however, Teddy's heart was racing. _Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin_, his mind screamed. _Ask about them!_

"So, this Metamorphmagus -"

"Oh, she's really quite lovely. She's an Auror, actually, but quite young. She wasn't in the Order last time. She's Sirius' second cousin, I think." Hermione sighed. "And of course, last time, there were people like the Prewetts, Marlene McKinnon, and - and Harry's parents."

Teddy felt a cold hand squeeze his heart. "So - so it's pretty dangerous, isn't it? I mean, all those deaths."

"Yes," Hermione said sadly. "It's very dangerous. But against You-Know-Who - well. It's the only chance we've got."

Teddy opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment, a crowd of cheering Gryffindors burst through the portrait hole, carting bottles of slopping Butterbeer. A great wave of noise assaulted him and Hermione. Teddy spotted the girl Angelina in the crowd, as well as Ron, Fred and George. The cold hand against his heart squeezed just that little bit tighter.

Ron spotted Hermione and raced over, a mad grin painted across his lips. "I did it! I got in, Hermione," he laughed.

"That's fantastic, Ron, really," Hermione said, sounding genuine. "But I just need you to sit still, at least for a minute." Ron looked confused as he lowered himself into the armchair and cast Teddy a curious look. "This is Teddy."

"I know who he is, Hermione." Ron looked at Teddy. "I know who you are, right?"

"Teddy knows about the Order of the Phoenix."

Ron blinked. "What? I mean -"

"I've just been explaining it everything. Dumbledore said we could trust him." Hermione stared Ron down. "Okay?"

"I - okay, I guess." Ron stood. "Can I go now?" At Hermione's nod, he wandered away, still looking flummoxed. Teddy stifled the urge to laugh.

"Sorry about Ron," Hermione said, smiling herself now. "He wouldn't have been much help anyway. So is there anything else you wanted to know? This is all new to me, too, so…"

"I just wanted to, um, ask what the Order is actually doing to, you know, help fight Voldemort?"

Hermione gave a little start but, to her credit, didn't say anything. "Well, we're all trying as much as we can. Kingsley, for instance, is the Auror in charge of the hunt for Sirius Black. He's redirecting their efforts so Sirius can stay hidden in London." Her brow creased in thought. "They're recruiting, as well. Or trying to, at least. There's not really much we can do at the moment. Not until You-Know-Who does something blatantly obvious that we can retaliate at."

"Right." Teddy's head was throbbing. It was all so much to take in. "I think that's all -"

"Wotcher, Hermione." Both she and Teddy jumped as the familiar voice broke through their conversation. Harry was standing over them, looking a little unsure. He glanced back and forth between Teddy and Hermione.

"Harry!" Hermione stood hurriedly and Teddy followed her lead. "Thank goodness you're here. I've been telling Teddy everything."

"Everything?" Harry looked and sounded incredulous.

"Dumbledore said -"

"Oh, Dumbledore said that, did he?" Harry frowned. "Well of course that must be okay, then. So you two have been chatting with him, then? Did he say anything important? Anything about me, maybe? No? Well, I can't say I'm surprised -"

"Harry, please," Hermione implored, cutting in. "I'm sure Dumbledore doesn't mean anything by it, he's probably just busy -"

"Too busy for me, but not for you?" Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry, Hermione. I shouldn't have said that. I'm just tired. I'm going to bed." He turned, adjusting his bag on his shoulder.

"Wait -"

"Hermione, I'm sure you've dealt with it all, right?" Harry gave Teddy a measuring glance. "We can talk more about it tomorrow. You both look beat." With that, he walked to the stairs and took them two at a time, disappearing. Hermione and Teddy looked at each other.

"That went well," he said finally.

"Don't mind Harry, Teddy, he's just been on edge lately." Hermione grimaced. "But now that he mentions it, I am tired. Would you mind -?"

"No, not at all," Teddy murmured quickly. "I'm going to go to bed myself." Hermione gave him a relieved smile and then they parted ways, agreeing to talk more tomorrow with both Ron and Harry present. Teddy climbed up the stairs and stripped straight out of his uniform and into his pyjamas. The curtain around Harry's bed was closed.

Flopping down onto the sheets, Teddy yawned, his jaw cracking. Everything was spinning round and round inside his head so quickly - his parents, the Order, Harry's strange animosity against Dumbledore - that he thought he'd never get to sleep, but within minutes, his eyelids drifted shut and he was swept out to sea.


End file.
